Board of Education: Practical Instruction Centres Files

Board of Education and Ministry of Education files concerning practical instruction centres. They relate to the provision of courses of practical instruction in special subjects (e.g. domestic economy, cookery, handicraft, etc.) in elementary and secondary schools and centres serving a number of schools.

The papers include material relating to the acquisition of land and buildings, H.M. Inspectors' reports, and applications for the Board of Education's approval of courses. These records absorbed earlier special subject file material.

The series ended in the late 1950s as practical instruction facilities had been increasingly incorporated into school buildings for some years and relevant papers became part of the individual school files.

By counties, county boroughs and Part III authorities for England and Wales.

See also Records of the Secondary Branch in

Files relating to special courses have not survived and relevant 'policy' papers, which appear as part of Education series 11 and 14, suffered much destruction.

• Board of Education, 1899-1944
• Ministry of Education, 1944-1964

Topics

Education

The Code of Regulations of 1906 introduced new provisions for the teaching of domestic subjects in elementary schools; rules for the instruction of 'Special Subjects' were revised and grant awarded in respect of each course of instruction in place of a system of 'per capita' grants. Syllabuses had to be submitted to the Board of Education prior to the commencement of a course and additional women H.M. Inspectors were appointed to ensure systematic inspection of practical instruction centres.

Under Section 2 of the Education Act, 1918, re-enacted as Section 20 of the Education Act, 1921, it became a duty for Local Education Authorities to make provision for practical instruction in elementary schools. The power to do so had existed for School Boards and Local Education Authorities under Section 18 of the Elementary Education Act, 1870, and subsequently under Section 3 of the Education Act, 1902. Instruction in domestic subjects preceded practical instruction in a wide range of subjects and payment of special grant was first authorised under the Code of Regulations for Elementary Schools, 1875. Practical instruction, like all other curriculum subjects, was not defined in the Education Act, 1944.

Part III Authorities are Boroughs with a population of over 10,000 and Urban District Councils with a population of over 20,000 defined in Section I of the Education Act 1902 as a local authority for the purpose of Part III of the Act.